The Bruges Group spearheaded the intellectual battle to win a vote to leave the European Union and, above all, against the emergence of a centralised EU state.

The Charter of Fundamental Rights - in their own words

"It should be stressed that the UK was given a clarification, not an opt-out." — Fredrik Reinfeldt, Swedish Foreign Minister, Speech to the Swedish Parliament, 26th June 2007

"There is good reason to accept this text as the basis for an eventual European constitution." — German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder , The Irish Times, 16th October 2000

"As the Commission sees it, the draft Charter of Fundamental Rights offers genuine added value, irrespective of the status it will initially enjoy. Sooner or later it will have to be incorporated into the Treaties. " — European Commission, The Times, London, 13th October 2000

"The Charter of Fundamental Rights should be seen as the central element of a process culminating in the European Union's adoption of a constitution. " — Resolution of the European Parliament, Agence Europe, 16th March 2000